Digital television receiver and method for processing a digital television signal

Abstract

A method includes receiving a digital television signal including a virtual channel table comprising a list of attributes for virtual channels carried in transport streams; demultiplexing the virtual channel table from the received digital television signal; parsing channel status information from the demultiplexed virtual channel table, the parsed channel status information defining a channel status change time and a new channel status of one of the virtual channels; and performing a channel status change of the virtual channel according to the parsed channel status information.

1 . A method of processing a digital television signal in a digital television receiver, the method comprising:
 receiving a digital television signal including a virtual channel table comprising a list of attributes for virtual channels carried in transport streams;   demultiplexing the virtual channel table from the received digital television signal;   parsing channel status information from the demultiplexed virtual channel table, the parsed channel status information defining a channel status change time and a new channel status of one of the virtual channels; and   performing a channel status change of the virtual channel according to the parsed channel status information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the channel status change time the channel status information are in global positioning system (GPS) second. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new channel status is one of active, inactive and special access only in accordance with attributes of hidden field and hide_guide field from the demultiplexed virtual channel table. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the active is available corresponding channel by user's surfing as well as through program guide user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the inactive is skipped over corresponding channel while a user is surfing and viewable future program listings in program guide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the special access only is viewable future program listings in hide guide. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting at least one of timer according to the channel status change time from the parsed channel status information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining a specific time point of the set timer elapsed. 
     
     
         9 . A digital television receiver comprising:
 a tuner tuning to a channel to receive a digital television signal;   a demodulator demodulating the digital television signal;   a demultiplexer demultiplexing a virtual channel table from the demodulated digital television signal;   a parser parsing channel status information from the demultiplexed virtual channel table, the parsed channel status information defining a channel status change time and a new channel status of a virtual channel; and   a controller performing a channel status change of the virtual channel according to the parsed channel status information.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the channel status change time the channel status information are in global positioning system (GPS) second. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the new channel status is one of active, inactive and special access only in accordance with attributes of hidden field and hide_guide field from the demultiplexed virtual channel table. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller controls to perform available corresponding channel by user's surfing as well as through a program guide user interface if the new channel status is changed active. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller controls to perform skip over corresponding channel while a user is surfing and be viewable future program listings in program guide if the new channel status is changed inactive. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller controls to perform viewable future program listings in hide guide if the new channel status is changed special access only. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls to set at least one of timer according to the channel status change time from the parsed channel status information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls to determine a specific time point of the set timer elapsed.